The major goals of the Army Combat Health Support (CHS)
science and technology program are threefold: first, to
prevent illness and injury; second, to sustain optimum
military effectiveness; and, third, to treat casualties. The
greatest payoff from the investment in CHS science and
technology comes from the identification of medical
countermeasures which eliminate health hazards. Preventive
measures include biomedical technologies, information and
materiel to protect the force from infectious disease,
environmental injury, health hazards of combat systems,
operational stress, and aggressor weapons (i.e.,
conventional, chemical, biological, or directed energy
systems).

Medical research provides vaccines, pretreatment drugs,
and training strategies which maximize the readiness of
soldiers to deploy and fight. Medical research assists
leaders in optimizing warfighting capabilities across the
full continuum of conflict, from peacekeeping to high
intensity combat. Medical research also provides the means to
maximize far-forward diagnosis, treatment, and return-to-duty
of combat casualties. Military-unique medical contributions
include such items as field-deployable diagnostic kits,
chemical and biological antidotes, resuscitative devices,
blood preservatives, and enhanced medical evacuation
platforms.